SAND COUCH

Elytrigia juncea

Grasses [Poaceae]

month8jul month8july month8aug

type
typeZspiked		 stem
stem8round		 stem
stem8hollow

2nd July 2011, Hightown beach, Sefton Coast. Photo: © RWD
At only 60cm it is shorter than Sea Couch.


2nd July 2011, Hightown beach, Sefton Coast. Photo: © RWD
Thicker and blunter spikelets than Sea Couch.


2nd July 2011, Hightown beach, Sefton Coast. Photo: © RWD
Occupies sand near the sea, and grows on the seaward side of Sea Couch.


2nd July 2011, Hightown beach, Sefton Coast. Photo: © RWD
A glaucous green grass with bluntish glumes (the scaly outer parts) and totally lacking any awns (the hair-like strands that emerge from the tips of some grasses such as Sea Couch but especially Sea Barley where they are very long.


2nd July 2011, Hightown beach, Sefton Coast. Photo: © RWD
Just like all couch-grasses, this too has spikelets coming out alternately from opposite sides.


2nd July 2011, Hightown beach, Sefton Coast. Photo: © RWD
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2nd July 2011, Hightown beach, Sefton Coast. Photo: © RWD
The flowers are cream-coloured.


2nd July 2011, Hightown beach, Sefton Coast. Photo: © RWD
Stems round, stiff and striated. Long narrow leaves are glaucous.


2nd July 2011, Hightown beach, Sefton Coast. Photo: © RWD
Several leaves peel off from the main stem at intervals.

Hybridises with :

  • Sea Couch (Elytrigia atherica) to produce Elytrigia × acuta.
  • Common Couch (Elytrigia repens) to produce Elytrigia × laxa.

Some similarities to : Sea Couch

ANY TEXT GOES HERE

Distribution
family8Grasses family8Poaceae
BSBI maps
genus8Elytrigia
Elytrigia
(Couch-Grasses)

SAND COUCH

Elytrigia juncea

Grasses [Poaceae]

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